Guest guest Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Why is the Chandi Path not called the Durga Path? What is the difference between Durga and Chandi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 Dear Terryramji, That is such a good question! It really made me think a little more deeply, and try to go beyond a more surface answer... Both are names of the Divine Mother, as you may know, emphasizing different aspects, at first glance, or at least, giving different coloring to Her meaning. Swamiji translates "Durga" as "the Remover of All Difficutlies," or "She Who Removes All Difficulties," and you can read an extensive account of her movement in The Rosary of Thirty-two Names of Durga, towards the end of the Chandi Path. Chandi, Swamiji translates as "She Who Tears Apart Thought," and we first hear Her name in the beginning of the Chandi, the Devata Pranam, with the prayer (or verse) that begins, "ya chandii.....". But then, as you read the Chandi Path, it becomes clearer how they are One--for example, the 700 verses (starting with chapter one) begins, "sri durgayai namah" (We bow to She who Removes all Difficulties) and then "atha sri durga saptashati" (And now, The Seven Hundred Verses in Praise of She Sho Removes all Difficulties). The entire Chandi Path is recited in praise of Durga, our Divine Mother. What I believe is that Chandi is the name for That which occurs as we surrender to Her--that is, fall in love with Her, meditate upon Her, dig into ourselves with Her grace, come into self-knowledge through Her wisdom that comes from the devotion and sadhana, go beyond ego (which we surrender to Her in coming to know that is not who we are). When we go beyond ego, so to speak, we come to see how we are One with Her, and are less and less identified with thought, which maintains our separateness from Her, and more and more identified with the Divine process of union. Therefore, Durga as Chandi (this coming into full self-knowledge) removes all our difficulties, which come from identification with self as ego, through "tearing apart" thought. We learn how we are beyond body and mind, and this cannot be understood nor expressed in thought. Just some "thoughts...."! With love, Nitya-Ma She removes all difficulties as She tears apart thought. , "terryramji" <terryramji@s...> wrote: > Why is the Chandi Path not called the Durga Path? What is the > difference between Durga and Chandi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 Thank you Nitya-Ma. That was a very beautiful and thoughtful answer. It helps a lot. Difficulties and thoughts being one and the same. I like it. I often have difficulty understanding the differences of the ONE but your answer give me some understanding that Durga and Chandi are different flavors of the SAMEness. Kinda hard to talk about That which is beyond all thought. Your answer also makes me think there really is no "through tearing apart thoughts". Thoughtlessness happens. , "nitya_ma" <nitya_ma> wrote: > Dear Terryramji, > > That is such a good question! > It really made me think a little more deeply, and try to go beyond > a more surface answer... > Both are names of the Divine Mother, as you may know, emphasizing > different aspects, at first glance, or at least, giving different coloring to Her > meaning. > Swamiji translates "Durga" as "the Remover of All Difficutlies," or > "She Who Removes All Difficulties," and you can read an extensive account of > her movement in The Rosary of Thirty-two Names of Durga, towards the end > of the Chandi Path. > Chandi, Swamiji translates as "She Who Tears Apart Thought," and we first > hear Her name in the beginning of the Chandi, the Devata Pranam, with > the prayer (or verse) that begins, "ya chandii.....". > But then, as you read the Chandi Path, it becomes clearer how they are > One--for example, the 700 verses (starting with chapter one) begins, > "sri durgayai namah" (We bow to She who Removes all Difficulties) and > then "atha sri durga saptashati" (And now, The Seven Hundred Verses in > Praise of She Sho Removes all Difficulties). > The entire Chandi Path is recited in praise of Durga, our Divine Mother. > What I believe is that Chandi is the name for That which occurs as we > surrender to Her--that is, fall in love with Her, meditate upon Her, dig into > ourselves with Her grace, come into self-knowledge through Her wisdom that > comes from the devotion and sadhana, go beyond ego (which we surrender > to Her in coming to know that is not who we are). When we go beyond ego, > so to speak, we come to see how we are One with Her, and are less and less > identified with thought, which maintains our separateness from Her, and more > and more identified with the Divine process of union. > Therefore, Durga as Chandi (this coming into full self- knowledge) removes > all our difficulties, which come from identification with self as ego, through > "tearing apart" thought. We learn how we are beyond body and mind, > and this cannot be understood nor expressed in thought. > Just some "thoughts...."! > > With love, > Nitya-Ma > > > She removes all difficulties as She tears apart thought. > > > > , "terryramji" <terryramji@s...> wrote: > > Why is the Chandi Path not called the Durga Path? What is the > > difference between Durga and Chandi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 Different names in different regions. Durga takes away the durgam - confusion. Chandi tears apart the duality, tears apart the thoughts of confusion. They are one. , "terryramji" <terryramji@s...> wrote: > Why is the Chandi Path not called the Durga Path? What is the > difference between Durga and Chandi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 Seems like I need to do a lot more:-) , "swami_satyanandasaraswati" <swami_satyanandasaraswati> wrote: > Different names in different regions. Durga takes away the durgam - > confusion. Chandi tears apart the duality, tears apart the thoughts > of confusion. They are one. > > > , "terryramji" <terryramji@s...> > wrote: > > Why is the Chandi Path not called the Durga Path? What is the > > difference between Durga and Chandi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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